Jon Campbell

Jon Campbell the man behind our Let's Roll shirt

Medium: Painting, Neon, Cutouts, Banners, Songs Gallery

Representation: Darren Knight Gallery

Jon Campbell has been a key figure in the Australian art scene since the 1980s, initially gaining attention with his paintings of suburban youth culture. Over time, his work has evolved into a complex expression of Australian Pop art, blending local vernacular, rock ‘n’ roll, and Australiana with sharp political undertones

Campbell’s art is deeply influenced by his upbringing in Melbourne’s Western suburbs, reflecting a love for the overlooked and undervalued aspects of life. For the past 20 years, his practice has been primarily text-based, using everyday language and popular culture to create abstract compositions that transform the meaning of words. Through the conventions of graphic design and formal abstraction, Campbell elevates snippets of conversation, argument, and dialogue, inviting the viewer to unravel the text and engage with the work.

His diverse body of work—ranging from paintings and neon signs to cutouts and banners—captures the unique accent, humour, and visual language of suburbia and its culture. By exploring themes of popular music, sport, and design, Campbell’s art celebrates the beauty of the vernacular and its power to shape cultural history.

Jon Campbell lives and works in Coburg, Melbourne, and is represented by Darren Knight Gallery.

darrenknightgallery.com/artists/campbell